This invention relates to an indexing tab for a sorting device, and more particularly to an indexing tab which may be secured to the free end of a divider leaf in such a device which provides a guideway into which an edge margin of a sheet may be slipped between adjacent divider leaves, and which has projecting end portions for ease of gripping by a user to spread the divider leaves if required.
Various sorting devices have been designed in the past having a plurality of divider leaves disposed in face-to-face relation, between which leaves sheet material may be slipped for sorting. Such previous devices, however, have required that a user manually grip an edge margin of the leaf or a tab attached to the leaf to physically separate edge, or end, margins of the dividers to provide a space into which a sheet may be slipped between adjacent leaves. Further, such prior devices have not provided convenient finger-engaging tab portions which are conveniently spaced from supportive structure and adjacent tabs to permit ease of engagement and operation by a user.
A general object of the present invention is to provide a novel tab for a sorting device which overcomes the above set-out disadvantages of previous designs in an economical and simple manner.
More specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide a tab for connection to an end of a divider leaf in a sorting device, which tab has a central body portion which is thicker than the divider leaf for maintaining a spaced relation between adjacent end margins of divider leaves in the device, and further has projecting end portions, thinner than the central body portion, which provide guideways into which edge margins of sheet material may be slipped between the divider leaves. Such construction allows a user to slip sheet material edgewise into the guideway provided by the tabs between adjacent divider leaves, without manually separating the leaves before such insertion.
Another object is to provide such a novel tab, in which the end portion thereof projects laterally of a side edge of its associated divider leaf and is spaced from the divider leaf and adjacent tabs in such a manner as to facilitate engagement by a user's finger if it is necessary to manually separate the divider leaves.
A still further object is to provide such a novel tab for use in a sorting device wherein the central body portion which is thicker than the divider leaf and the thinner projecting end portion are interconnected by a connecting portion which has beveled outer surfaces diverging on progressing from the end portion to the body portion. Such beveled connection portion further facilitates guiding and entry of a sheet between adjacent divider leaves.
Yet another object is to provide a novel tab which has a beveled rear edge margin along elongate common edges of the body and end portions facing the divider leaf, which converge to an edge which is thinner than the associated leaf, thus to facilitate removal of sheet material without catching an edge of the sheet as it is slid out from between adjacent divider leaves.
Another object is to provide a novel tab for a sorting device having a thick central body portion, an elongate, thinner, substantially planar end portion projecting outwardly from the body portion, and a recess formed in the body portion for receiving and end edge portion of the divider leaf whereby the leaf may be secured to the tab with the end edge of the divider leaf substantially coplanar with the end portion of the tab. Such construction further facilitates slipping of sheet material into and out of the space between adjacent divider leaves.
A still further object is the provision of novel deformable securing projections disposed within the recess of the body portion for securing such a tab to its associated divider leaf.